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Versatile Seager gives Mariners infield option

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Seager on meeting new teammates 0:30

Kyle Seager speaks on the excitement of Spring Training and meeting the newest acquisitions to the team

By John Schlegel
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MLB.com |

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Kyle Seager, who burst onto the scene as the Mariners' regular third baseman last year, was in a familiar spot Saturday when he started at second base, where he played in the Minors, in college and handful of times in the Majors.

After playing all nine innings the night before at third, Seager was ready to hit the field again Saturday, regardless of the field position, because Opening Day is coming and full games of at-bats are welcome.

"We're getting really close here, so you definitely have to start ramping it up and getting your body to play full games," Seager said. "It's definitely nice getting in the swing of things and getting some more at-bats."

Putting Seager at second base with Robert Andino at short was part of preparing the Mariners to have some versatility in the infield.

"He'll play over there every now and again, along with Andino, who's had a nice spring for us," manager Eric Wedge said. "[Andino] can play all three, and with Kyle we like to bounce him from second base to third base, too. It just gives us more options with our lineup."

Coming off a breakout season in which he earned Mariners MVP honors with 20 homers and 86 RBIs, including 44 with two outs, the 25-year-old Seager says he has benefited from a full year's experience and now a camp with an influx of veterans who have been there before.

"I learned a lot last year, and I learned that there's a lot to be improved upon as a team and personally," he said. "I think with a lot of the veteran guys that they brought in this year we can learn a lot, and I think they've helped everybody."

John Schlegel is a national reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.